Heal Our Brokenness
by prettybluescarf
Summary: They both had their own reasons for running away. Anders had finally had enough of his brothers and decided he was better off on his own. Mitchell was escaping his abusive and manipulative step-father. So here they were: two underage runaways bound together by the same desire for freedom and peace. And who knows, maybe along the way they might find something more. (Runaways AU)
1. Chapter 1

"And in the end, we were all just humans... Drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness." -F. Scott Fitzgerland

* * *

It all started with a chance encounter. Two cold lonely souls seeking shelter from the pouring rain and unsympathetic world.

Anders tried to wrap his coat tighter around himself as he hunkered down in one of the many abandoned buildings that littered the city. This one was probably an old bar, probably closed down because of the rat infestation. He thought glumly as he watched another furry creature dart across the room.

He never really thought he'd find himself in this condemned building. Alone, and rejected by his family. Then again, Anders had never felt entirely connected to his brothers. They had only ever used him, and blamed him when things went wrong. To be fair it was just Mike who started things. Axl didn't know any better and Ty never took part in it. But neither of them fought for him.

And when his brothers found out he was gay...

Well, it wasn't too long after that that Anders fled his home and bought a flight ticket to anywhere but Auckland. Eventually he found himself in Sequim, Washington. Far away from New Zealand. But money was hard to come by, so he was reduced to sleeping in abandoned buildings until he had enough money to start a new life.

Anders' thoughts where interrupted as another boy roughly his age shoved open the door to the building and slammed it shut again, completely soaked from the pouring rain outside.

He had shaggy dark hair, which he brushed out of his face with hands clad in fingerless gloves. Anders remained motionless as the brunette surveyed the empty room until dark eyes settled on the blond.

"Sorry, I didn't realize this place was already occupied." He spoke with a thick Irish accent.

"It's fine." Anders shrugged.

Lazily wandering over to the side of the building Anders was curled up against, the dark-haired boy leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. He was slightly thinner than Anders, now that he got a better look at him; he had delicate defined features with a strong jaw that not even the grime that coated his face could hide.

Digging through his pockets the brunette pulled out a crushed damp cigarette box.

"Smoke?" He offered Anders the case.

"No thanks."

Nodding, the brunette pressed a cigarette between his lips and pulled out a worn lighter and lit the end of the cigarette. Taking a deep intake of breath, the boy observed Anders.

"I'm Mitchell."

Anders took Mitchell's extended hand.

"Anders."

Nodding, Mitchell took another drag from his cigarette.

"So tell me Anders, what caused a boy from New Zealand to run away to the states?"

Anders stared back at the brunette. "What makes you think I'm running away from something?"

"Because you're clearly not hunkering down in an abandoned building for kicks. And you only leave home for a few reasons: you're tired of the abuse, or they didn't accept you, probably because you're gay. So which is it?"

The blond could feel those dark penetrating eyes staring at him, awaiting an answer.

Anders tugged his jacket closer around himself, taking his time before answering.

"Gay. Why are you here?"

Chuckling darkly, Mitchell stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "Gay, but that wasn't really the problem... Let's just say I didn't agree with my step-father's nightly expectations and leave it at that."

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. Both of them caught in memories they'd rather forget.

Mitchell continued to smoke until the cigarette was nothing but a stump that he quietly and effortlessly stubbed out. Anders was strangely sad when the smell began to fade. He felt as if the mixed aroma of the smoke and the rain outside suited the brunette.

**O O O**

Anders didn't even know he had fallen asleep until he started awake the next morning. The two boys had unintentionally used the other as a cushion during the night; Mitchell's head was nuzzled into Anders' neck. His hair was soft and curly after it had dried.

Unwrapping himself from the blond, Mitchell moved to the door he came from and pushed it open. The sunlight can streaming in, temporarily blinding Anders, and when he regained his vision he nearly lost his breath instead. Mitchell was truly stunning in full light. His eyes weren't just dark, they were a deep amber that caught the sun in just the right way. The color of his hair was pure ebony as Mitchell brushed it out of his face with his nimble fingers clad in dark green fingerless gloves. He looked less dangerous in the daylight, almost more exotic instead.

"Do you have a better place to stay than this Anders?"

Interrupted from his thoughts, Anders stared up at the brunette, lightly shaking his head. Mitchell nodded.

"Yeah me neither. Listen, come back here tomorrow night. We're better off sticking together, and I've got some money stashed away. I only need a little more before I can afford a cheap apartment close by. If you want you can stay with me, get a job, and help pay for rent?"

The brunette watched as Anders stared up at him with a shocked expression. It was abrupt, he knew, but for some reason he didn't want to lose contact with the blond. And it's not like the partnership was only beneficial for him. Anders did need a safe place to sleep, and it was safer for the both of them to stay together. The world isn't a kind place, and it's full of people who would be more than willing to take advantage of a kid alone on the streets.

"S-sure. Are you sure you won't mind?" Anders replied.

Smiling, Mitchell shook his head, quietly relieved that the blond said yes.

"No I don't mind. Besides, it'll be easier to pay rent if we split it between the two of us. I usually work night shifts, so I can help you find a job during the day. See you tomorrow night Anders."

And with that, Mitchell strode into the sunlight. Anders stared at the vacant doorway for several minutes, contemplating what just occurred. Within the span of a month his life had changed forever, and in all honestly he thought he might never be happy again. But in one night, in a condemned bar, Anders saw a glimmer of hope reflected in a pair of dark eyes and a bright smile.

And he thought that maybe, just maybe, things might start to be alright again.

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Just thought I'd contribute to the fandom with a classic Runaways!AU. Hope you guys enjoy!  
I'd love to have some feedback if you are so inclined!


	2. Chapter 2

"And in the end, we were all just humans... Drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness." -F. Scott Fitzgerland

* * *

This was stupid. He was being stupid.

Anders continued to argue with himself over whether or not he should show up at the abandoned bar again. He didn't know Mitchell. The guy could be a meth addict who'll murder him with a lead pipe for all he knew! But he needed a place to stay, and Mitchell was right when he said they'd be safer together.

Anders didn't realize how dark it was getting until the street lights began to turn on. Pausing and looking around to get his bearings, Anders realized he was just a few blocks away from the bar. While he was debating whether or not he should show up, it started to rain.

It's always raining here. He thought glumly.

Turning around, Anders saw a large trash bin tucked away in the alley behind him. After a brief yet disgusting search, he found a canoe paddle snapped in half. Boating was a big thing in Sequim. Feeling slightly more protected, the blond quickly made his way over to the bar.

By the time he got there and slipped inside, the rain was coming down in buckets. Mitchell wasn't there yet and Anders felt both relieved and disappointed at the same time. Walking over to where he was sitting when the brunette first appeared the night before, Anders settled on the cold ground, still clutching the paddle to his chest as his only weapon. It was cold, and there was nothing to do to pass the time besides counting ceiling tiles and thinking about life before he slept in abandoned buildings.

As far as childhoods go, Anders' wasn't the most ideal. Their mom left when he was still young and Mike refused to talk about it. When their dad was around he drank too much and yelled too often. It was shortly after he broke Anders' arm that their pathetic excuse of a parent left, never to be seen again. But things still weren't good. He and Mike fought constantly, even though they tried to remain civil around Ty and Axl.

If he was being honest with himself Anders knew he would have left eventually. No one wants him around after they get to know him, and no one needs him.

The sound of the rain began to lull him into a light slumber. There was something about the smell of rain that Anders found so wonderful. It was like he could smell all the horrible things being washed away and the world made new.

Suddenly he was aware of the presence of another person in front of him.

Jerking back Anders gasped and struck out with the oar at the dark figure crouching in front of him.

There was a grunt and Anders heard the person fall back and hit the hard floor of the bar.

"Ugh! What the hell was that?"

It was only after Anders was entirely awake that he recognized the Irish accent.

"Mitchell?"

Anders received a groan in response. The brunette was crumpled on the floor, pressing a glove-clad palm to his forehead. There was a worn backpack next to Mitchell, along with a brown paper bag.

"I think you broke skin!" Mitchell said, looking at the crimson droplets on his fingers.

"Sorry…" Anders offered. He sat up and attempted to console the brunette in some way, but he was unsure what to do. So he settled for awkwardly sitting next to Mitchell and resting a hand on the others knee.

They remained silent for a while, Mitchell applying pressure to his cut, and Anders listening to the rain.

"Sorry." Anders offered again. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Sighing, Mitchell removed his hand, there was still some blood trickling down his temple, but aside from that it only stung a little.

"I get it, you don't know me, and I don't know you. Of course you'd take precautions. I honestly wasn't sure if you were going to show up."

"Me neither. Where were you?"

"Working. Also, I made enough money to get dinner." Mitchell gestured to the paper bag.

Anders stared at the package; his manners quickly forgotten as he tore open the parchment to reveal two deli sandwiches that were probably bought at the gas station a block away. His stomach growled at the sight.

Passing one to Mitchell, Anders quickly unwrapped his sandwich and practically inhaled it. Never before had anything tasted so delicious. Mitchell ate his a little slower, but the blond could tell that he was just as hungry as he was.

Sucking at his fingers after finishing, Anders leaned back against the wall, reveling in his full stomach. "Thank you."

Mitchell smiled, and Anders once again was captivated by it. Not even the shadows of the bar could hide the fact that the brunette was absolutely breathtaking. If things were different, if Andes' life had more stability and he didn't spend his days just barely scraping by, he might have pursued the brunette. But neither of them had the leisure to think about finding a boyfriend.

"Here." Mitchell dug around his worn backpack until he pulled out a thin blanket. "It'll probably get cold tonight."

Anders leaned forward and hesitantly accepted the blanket. "Are you sure?"

Mitchell tugged his jacket tighter around his shoulders. "You've obviously not had a full meal in a long time. I'd be willing to bet money that you haven't been worm in weeks."

"Thank you." Anders rubbed the material between his fingers. "We could share, if you want…"

Dark eyes met warm blue. "It's just we'll probably both be a lot warmer if we share." Anders finished.

Mitchell didn't respond for a short time, until he got up and moved next to the blond. They shifted closer to each other, trying to find a comfortable position against the wall; both strongly aware of the others close proximity. Anders made sure they both had an equal amount of blanket. Mitchell still smelled like smoke and rain, but there was another scent that wasn't there the night before, and Anders wasn't entirely sure he liked it.

They fell asleep that night to the feeling of a full stomach and the sound of each other's tired breathing.

**O O O**

Mitchell woke the next morning when a beam of sunlight shone through one of the boarded up windows and bore against his eyelids. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched. It was only then that he remembered the blond next to him. Anders looked so peaceful and much younger when he slept. The sun made his blond hair look like spun gold. Anders' lips twitched in a dream, Mitchell could stare at those lips all day if he had the chance. They were delicate and demanding to be kissed. But he couldn't. Anders deserved better than him. The blond was still young and untouched by the filthy world around him, and Mitchell would do anything to keep him like that.

Anders yawned against Mitchell's shoulder before shifting away from the brunette and lying flat on the ground, the blanket draped across his body. Smiling, Mitchell got to his feet and began digging through his backpack. He only had two pairs of clothes, and he needed to wash both of them soon. But he didn't have money for that. All his money was being stashed away until he had enough to find a small apartment, preferably in Seattle where business would be better. Fortunately that time was soon. Pulling out a black t-shirt, Mitchell shed his jacket and pulled off his grey tank-top before tugging on his other shirt. If he had another good night he could probably afford a cheap apartment and a ferry ticket to Seattle, two if Anders wanted to come with him.

"Morning."

Mitchell turned to find Anders propping himself up on his elbows, his hair messy and sticking up in random places.

"Morning. Did you sleep alright?"

"Better than I have in a while. Thank you for the food and blanket."

Smiling, Mitchell shrugged on his jacket.

"It's no problem. Listen, there's a Laundromat close by here that offers half-price after midnight. I've got a few errands to run, but if you want to get your clothes washed meet me there at 3:00 AM."

Watching the brunette's back muscles move under his jacket, Anders almost didn't catch what Mitchell was saying. "Um, thanks. Do you mean the Port Hadlock one?"

"Yeah, I'll have enough extra money for one load of clothes by tomorrow. See you then."

Anders watched as Mitchell slung his bag over his shoulder and slipped out into the sun again. It was only after a few more minutes of relaxation that he realized Mitchell had left his blanket with the blond. Smiling softly, he tugged the thin material around his shoulders and lied back down on the ground again, deciding to get a little more sleep before facing the day.

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Just thought I'd contribute to the fandom with a classic Runaways!AU. Hope you guys enjoy!  
**Reviews are much loved!**


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for reading this far!

"And in the end, we were all just humans... Drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness." -F. Scott Fitzgerland

* * *

Anders half-jogged to the Laundromat, Mitchell's blanket tucked under one arm and the broken canoe paddle clutched in the other. He may not have to worry about fighting off Mitchell, but there were still other unsavory people littering Sequim.

The Port Hadlock Laundromat was a few blocks away when Mitchell came into view from a cross-street.

"Hey!" Anders waved.

The brunette turned, a tired yawn caught in his smile as he waved back and slowed down so the blond could catch up.

"Hey, how're you doing?"

"Not bad now that I know I'll soon be wearing clean clothes! You left this."

Mitchell accepted the blanket. "I didn't have the heart to take it back before. Besides, I figured I'd get it back eventually."

Smiling slightly, Anders fell in step with the brunette as they made their way towards the Laundromat. Mitchell pulled open the door and gestured for the blond to enter.

Anders looked around. "Where's the owner?"

"Asleep, most likely. It's late and the quarter machines don't have to be managed by anyone except the customers."

Mitchell selected a random washer to set his backpack down on before dumping out his dirty laundry.

"I've got good news. I have enough money now to move to Seattle by tomorrow. The offer still stands if you want to come, there's enough money for a ferry ticket for you too."

Removing his jacket, Anders looked at the brunette. "I- I guess. Are you sure you want me to tag along?"

Smiling, Mitchell nodded as he tugged off his own jacket and added it to the growing pile of clothes on the cold floor. "I'm sure. You're good company, and if you do come along you'll have an actual roof over your head instead of abandoned bars."

Anders watched as Mitchell continued to shamelessly strip down to a pair of black boxer briefs, dumping the rest of his and the blond's clothes into the washer.

His body was even better than the blond had imagined. Though both of them were underweight, Mitchell had a slight muscular build, like a swimmer, with a flat stomach that Anders knew would develop into abs worth worshipping if the brunette ever had enough to eat.

Feeling eyes on him, Mitchell looked up and grinned. "You just going to watch or do you want to join in?"

Brought out of his revelry, Anders blushed. "Wh-what?"

"Your clothes. If you want them washed you're going to have to strip down."

"Oh, right."

Anders complied, except with less confidence, until he was shivering in the cool Laundromat in nothing but his boxers. Noticing the shaking, Mitchell looked around the room until his eyes landed on an old abandoned robe with a floral print on it.

"Hang on." Anders watched Mitchell walk over to retrieve the robe. The brunette's back was just as enticing as the rest of his body, although it did look like he had some dark marks along his shoulders. He couldn't tell from far away, but hey looked like small bruises.

Upon attaining the thin garment, Mitchell handed it to the blond before turning again to their pile of laundry. The brunette inserted a few quarters into the machine and then dumped their accumulated filthy wardrobe into the washer while Anders slipped into the floral robe. He could get a good look at Mitchell's back now. They were bruises, but not like regular ones. They almost looked like they were caused by-

Anders stopped in his thoughts. Teeth. They were caused by someone's mouth.

It was only then that Anders realized Mitchell was now staring at him. He had a blank expression on his face, but beneath that mask of indifference Anders could only describe the emotion he saw as 'broken.'

"Is- Is that what you do at night? That's how you got enough money to move to Seattle?"

Mitchell didn't say anything. He didn't have to. He could tell that Anders didn't need an answer to know the truth. Before the blond could press the matter, he changed the subject.

"You wanna play cards?"

Nodding numbly, Anders watched as the brunette walked over to his bag and began digging around inside. It made sense really. There's not many places that allow teens to work at night, and Mitchell would have had to be making a substantial amount of money if he was planning to move to Seattle, especially if he had enough for Anders to come along too.

"Got it." Mitchell came back waving a worn deck of playing cards in one hand while clutching his pack of cigarettes in the other.

"Do you know how to play gin?"

"Yeah." Anders responded.

He copied Mitchell as the brunette fluidly swung himself on top if one of the washers, slid a cigarette between his lips, lit it, and started dealing the cards.

They played silently for a while, the smoke from Mitchell's cigarette lazily encircling the only two people occupying the Laundromat. Neither of them were all that focused on the game though, they were more lost in their own thoughts than anything else.

The silence was broken when Mitchell looked up at his companion and chuckled. Anders glances towards the brunette.

"What?"

"You look ridiculous." Mitchell said, grinning around his cigarette.

It was only then that Anders remembered he was wearing the floral-print robe. Laughing along with Mitchell, it wasn't long before the remaining tension fell from both their shoulders.

They spent the rest of the evening in a shroud of cigarette smoke, which Anders decided he liked the smell of, and occupied by a game neither of them were entirely good at.

Both of them were more than happy when their clothes were out of the dryer. Anders hugged his warm jacket to his chest and inhaled the scent of fresh laundry detergent while Mitchell tugged on his black t-shirt over the hickeys on his shoulders blades.

"Thanks you." Anders' words were muffled through his clean coat.

Smiling, the brunette tugged on his warm black jeans. "No problem. Anders… if you don't want to come with me after, after finding out about what I do, I understand."

Anders watched as Mitchell shifted his weight from foot to foot. He couldn't judge him. The brunette was doing something awful, something that no living soul should have to do, but he was only doing it to survive.

And maybe, just maybe, he could help him get out of it.

"What's the plan for the ferry tomorrow?"

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